Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004873

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DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL
JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2006

In Today's Papers

Turkey's Final Decision to Come After Gul's Visit to Syria
All papers report that Turkish military and government leaders
discussed Turkey's possible contribution to the peacekeeping force
in Lebanon in detail at yesterday's National Security Council (NSC)
meeting. In its brief written statement following the meeting, the
NSC did not announce a decision on Turkey's contribution but praised
and expressed support for UNSC Resolution 1701. Milliyet and
Hurriyet report that during his one day visit to Syria today, FM Gul
will urge Syria to stop its support for Hezbollah. Gul will also
pass on the conditions under which Turkey will send troops to
Lebanon. Milliyet and Cumhuriyet report that Gul may visit Tehran
in the coming days to deliver messages similar to those he is
expected to deliver in Syria.

Columnist Okay Gonensin, writing in the mass appeal Vatan, believes
that the US is using Turkey's participation in the peacekeeping
forces as a bargaining chip for action against the PKK: "Expressed
through diplomacy, Turkey is receiving a message from the US
administration which can be translated as 'Turkey should make a
stronger commitment in the Middle East so that it can enjoy a better
result in the fight against PKK.' The truth is that Turkey will
find itself in a very difficult situation if and when it becomes one
of the sides in the Middle East dispute. And this could happen in
an instant if a Turkish soldier is killed during the southern
Lebanon peacekeeping force operations. At this point we don't know
exactly what the US has been asking from Turkey in exchange for the
PKK card. It won't be surprising though if every demand contains
potential risks for Turkey's future."

Fehmi Koru commenting in Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak argues for a
broader regional role for Turkey: "The Turkish government is still
wavering on the issue of sending troops to Lebanon. The hesitation
stems from very understandable reasons -- Lebanon is not like
Bosnia, Kosovo or Afghanistan. Assuming duties in Lebanon puts
Turkey directly into the Middle East balance, which also means
Turkey will come face-to-face with every problem there. Turkey's
role should be in the bigger picture not in a particular one. It
would be better for us to show interest in the entire set of issues
on a regional scale rather than being enthusiastic about fixing
imbalances created by others."

Commenting in mainstream Milliyet, Fikret Bila warns that "a lasting
peace in Lebanon directly depends on a lasting peace in Palestine":
"Developments regarding the Palestine issue will have a direct
impact on the success of the ceasefire and peacekeeping efforts in
southern Lebanon. Any operation by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank
areas or any acts by Hezbollah will put the peacekeepers in a very
difficult situation. A lasting peace in Lebanon directly depends on
a lasting peace in Palestine. Ankara is very much aware of this
fact and expects to see a similar interpretation of this situation
by neighboring countries. Otherwise, peacekeepers, including
Turkish soldiers, will be taking a big risk and there will be no
peace in Lebanon."

President Bush Comments on Additional UN Resolution
Sabah, Radikal and Vatan: At a press conference in Washington
yesterday President Bush said that "the need for an international
force in Lebanon is urgent" and urged the international community to
respond to calls for deployment as soon as possible. Vatan reports
that the US has decided to send $230 Million to Lebanon. President
Bush added that "the US is considering an additional UN resolution
to clarify the mandate of the UN peacekeepers in Lebanon."

Forest Fires
All papers: As firefighters and forest fire teams worked hard to
extinguish fires in 20 different places in the Aegean and

ANKARA 00004873 002 OF 002

Mediterranean yesterday, new fires broke out yesterday in Bodrum,
Antalya and Adana. Three hundred hectares of forestry have been
destroyed by fire in three different locations of Antalya, and the
Mugla provincial forestry directorate claimed that 500 hectares of
forestry were destroyed in the region. According to the Forestry
Ministry statistics, nearly 2500 hectares of forestry was destroyed
by fire in 447 incidents in the first eight months of this year.

TV Highlights
NTV (6 A.M.)

Domestic News

- The hard disks of Turkish Hezbollah militants' computers seized by
Turkish Intelligence officers in operations six years ago have been
analyzed. The disks contain detailed information about murders
committed by Hezbollah.

- Turkish-Iranian natural gas pipeline damaged by PKK attacks has
been repaired and gas flow has been resumed.

International News

- Iranian leader Khamenei says Tehran will continue to pursue
nuclear technology despite a UNSC resolution.

- US President George Bush says the need for an international force
in Lebanon is urgent

- Two passenger trains collide in Egypt killing 80 people and
injuring 163

- A train traveling between Spain and France with 426 passengers
derails in Spain, killing six people

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at

http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON

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